In May 2008 LiveWorkPlay became an Affiliate of Community Living Ontario, a non-profit provincial federation that advocates for people with intellectual disabilities to be fully included in all aspects of community life.

We do not use "Community Living Ottawa" because our existing name pre-dates our affiliation with Community Living Ontario, and our members are very attached to LiveWorkPlay. However, we do sometimes go by LiveWorkPlay (Community Living Ottawa). We also share the Ottawa jurisdiction with another Community Living Ontario affilliate, l'Association pour l'intégration sociale d'Ottawa (AISO), which provides francophone services to people with intellectual disabilities.

Our membership in Community Living Ontario does not change our status as an independent charitable organization serving the Ottawa area community. It also doesn't increase our funding or expand our service delivery - in fact, we pay an annual fee as part of our membership responsibilities.

What being a part of Community Living Ontario does offer is a multitude of opportunities to share our best practices and learn from more than 100 other organizations in the Community Living Ontario family. We can also access some of the best minds in the province and the country for help in understanding social policy trends and legislation. And the opportunity for partnerships that will benefit the people we serve is something we are looking forward to exploring in the years to come!

The goal of Community Living Ontario is:

That all persons live in a state of dignity, share in all elements of living in the community, and have the opportunity to participate effectively.

Community Living Ontario envisions a society where people who have an intellectual disability belong and feel respected.

This means that people who have an intellectual disability:

• live in neighbourhoods of choice
• go to neighbourhood schools
• work at real jobs for real pay
• participate and contribute through volunteer, recreation and leisure activities
• are valued citizens

As a provincial association Community Living Ontario:

• has over 12,000 members across the province
• represents 112 local Community Living associations across Ontario

Local Community Living associations offer services to people who have an intellectual disability. Local associations:

• support children and/or adults to live, learn, work in the community
• help communities welcome and include people
• advocate for changes so that people have better community lives

Community Living Ontario and the local Community Living associations are also part of the Canadian Association for Community Living.  Together we belong to a world-wide advocacy network called Inclusion International.

Community Living Ontario was started in 1953. We began with families who wanted the right for their children who had an intellectual disability to attend neighbourhood schools.  

Since then, the size and focus of this organization has increased considerably.

Our work has moved well beyond the right to an education. We now work with communities to include people who have an intellectual disability in all aspects of community life.